Wrecking truck and towing apparatus



awmzs July 8 1924.

G. D. BORNSCHEIN WRECKING TRUCK AND TOWING- APPARATUS Filed March 27,1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l [zit e17 15 or.

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G. BORNSCHEHJ WRECKING TRUCKAND TOWING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1923 2Sheet$heet 2;

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Patented July 8, 1924.

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GECBGE D. BOBNSCHEIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

WRECKING TRUCK AND TOWINGAPPALRATUS.

Application filed March 27, '1923. Serial No. 627,968.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. BORN- SCHEIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWrecking Trucks and Towing Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to a self propelled wrecking truck andtowing device provided with a type of elevating device adjustablypositioned to afford the requisite leverage needed for elevating thewrecked vehicle, and which may be suitably braced by means contactingwith the ground tosupport the .load on thevehicle structure when thesame exceeds a predetermined degree.

g A further object is to provide a type of means movable into'a'plurality of,positions, and in one position affording a guard orbuffer disposed in rear of the vehicle to protect the same from injurydue to an over-running of-the towed vehicle, and in another positionaffording a ground engag- A further object is to provide a pivoted boomhaving associated therewith a flexible elevating member operated by aWindlass mechanism and with which flexible member is associated anextensible strut pivotally supported to extend at any desired anglebetween the boom and Windlass.

With the above mentioned and other ob- 1 jects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the ac companymg drawings and pointed outinthe claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changesin the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction withinthe scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more clearl com rehend the invention, reference is irect to theaccompanyin drawings, whereinig. 1 is a view inside elevation of therear end of a self (propelled vehicle illustrating the preferreembodiment of my invention mounted thereon.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the elevating windla'ss.

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the preferred embodiment of myinvention, the

flexible connection being removed to afford aclear illustration of theconstruction and illustrating the guard in vertical position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 .of Fig. 3, illustratingthe position of -the1bufler in dotted lines when the same extendsrearwardly of the vehicle.

Fig. 5 is a ,fra mentary sectional view of the extensible en of thestrut.

- Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like charactersof reference designate corresponding parts1 indicates a vehicle frame,the rear ends of which are rearwardly and downwardly curved as at 2 toprovide supporting horns. The ends of the horns are connected throughshackles 3 with the rear ends of the conventional frame supportingsprings lattached to the rear axle housing 5. The forward. ends of thesprings are secured to the frame 1 through members 6. Wheels 7 supportthe rear of I the vehicle frame and in this particular illustration, thedrive mechanism for the vehicle has been eliminated.

Fulcrumed t0 the connection 8 between the lower ends of the shackles 3and their pointof connection with the horns 2 are the lower ends of theA-frame which provides a boom 9. The upper end of the A-frame mounts ahead 10 to the outer end of which is adapted to be connected a suitabletypeof hoisting gear 11 of the well known form, it being illustrated indotted lines in Fig. 1 in the form of a block and tackle construction.

To the end of the head 10 is connected the end of a flexible operatingchain or member 12 utilized for raising and lowering the boom 9. The endof the chain or connection 12 is adapted to wind about the drum 13 of aconventional form of Windlass 14 carried by the frame 1. The drum isregistering openings 23 formed throughoutthe length of the member 20.The slotted end of the member 20 is adapted to receive the flexibleconnection 12 and said strut is adapted for pivotal movement to enable avariation of leverage to be exerted on the end of the boom 9 dependenton the load desired to be lifted and the angular position of the boom 9rearwardly of the vehicle.

At the rear of the frame there is provided a suitable step or support 24disposed transversely of the frame, and the same carries cradles 25 forreceiving the wheels of a conventional form of dolly, not illustrated.

To prevent the step and rear portion of the vehicle from being injuredby an overrunning of the vehicle being towed, I provide a suitablebuffer at the rear of the vehicle, and the same in the present embodi-Inent comprises an impact receiving member 26 disposed transversely ofthe vehicle frame 1, and from said member extends the supporting arms 27fulcrumed at their in-' ner ends to the member 8.

The bufler is adapted for swinging movement downwardly from its fullline position-Fig.1, to its full line positionFig. 3, in which latterposition it affords a supporting member to rest on the ground and takeup the load placed onthe springs 4.

The buffer is retained in its horizontal position in Fig. 1 by suitablehooks 28' fulcrumed'to the side" members of the A-frame. The ends of thehooks are adapted for reception within apertures 29 in the supportingarms 27, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will be observed that the bufler is capable of two functionsone ofprotecting the end of the apparatus from being over-run and damaged bythe vehicle being towed, and also of affording a means for carrying theload placed on the springs when the springs are deflected or laced undera severe strain. The extensi ility and fulcruming of the strut to engagethe flexible con nection 12 between the Windlass and its point ofattachment to the head enables greater or less leverage being applied tothe boom, as will be clearly understood.

naoeaae I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle, a boom carried at the rear endthereof, and a guard carried by the frame and associated with the rearend of the vehicle to normally project rearwardly therefrom, said ardadapted for movement to. provide a ame rest to support the load carriedby the boom.

2. In combination with a vehicle, a boom carried at' the rear endthereof and a guard extending transversely of and pivotally mounted tothe rear of the vehicle frame to swing on a horizontal axis, said guardbe ing movable on its pivot into a plurality of positions, in oneposition providing a frame rest to support the load carried by the boomand in another position providing a bufi'er disposed transversely of therear of the vehicle.

3. In combination with a vehicle, a boom pivotally mounted thereon toswing on. a,

horizontal axis to overhang the rear of the "ehicle, an extensible strutivotally mounted to swing on a horizonta axis to overlie the vehicle, aflexible operating connection associated with the boom and extendingover and engaged by the strut and a guard extending transversely acrossthe rear of the vehicle and capable of pivoting on a horizontal axisinto a vertical position to lie beneath' the vehicle to support the loadcarried Y by the boom.

4. In combination with a vehicle frame, a boom fulcrumed thereon toswing on a horizontal axis to overhang the rear of the frame, a flexibleoperating connection attached to the boom, a take-up device for saidconnection associated with thev frame and adapted for operation forraising and lowering the boom, :1 strut fulcrumed to swing free of theboom on a. horizontal axis and' adapted for engaging the flexibleconnection intermediate of its connection with the boom and the take-updevice, and,

